Reminiscence of You
by Faia Ookami
Summary: In order to save Kurama from a fatal hit, Hiei ran in blindly to kill a human, which breached his contract with Reikai.  He was to be sent to the last cycle of hell, but first Kurama wanted to execute his very selfish plan.  HieiKurama
1. Part One

**Reminiscence of You**

By FaiaOokami

Rated: M

Summary: In order to save Kurama from a fatal hit, Hiei ran in blindly to kill a human, which breached his contract with Reikai. He was to be sent to the last cycle of hell, but first Kurama wanted to execute his very selfish plan.

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><p><strong>Part One ~ Last Cycle of Hell<strong>

It all started with a female demon named Yusa who had been crossed the wrong way when Kurama was still the Yoko; something about how he got to the rabbit that she was hunting first. Since then, she formed a large grudge against the Yoko, only to find out when she ended a tavern one day that Yoko had been gunned down by a bounty hunter. Later, though, it was rumored that Kurama survived and was hanging out in Ningenkai somewhere. Yusa began her scheming to avenge the rabbit that could have eaten. Talk about a ridiculous reason for a grudge.

It was thanks to the injured Hiei that she found him. Thanks to his recent Jagan implant and fear for Yukina's safety, his movements were slower and his spiritual awareness was diminished. Yusa waited for years, observing Kurama as his human body grew. Kurama, of course, noticed Yusa and her the lack of experience in following him. As she was almost a non-exist D-class at this point, Kurama simply ignored her, passing her off as a fan girl. This was his biggest mistake. When Yusa felt the time was soon, she threw the seed of the Rechee tree at the faces of ten humans. This Makai seed, depending on how much youki was infused with each kernel, allowed a certain time amount for human mind control; in Yusa's case, she was only able to get three days. Inevitably, she chose the time when Kurama would be the most vulnerable – after the Dark Tournament.

Literally, only an hour after her first attack, the group's attacks lessened in damage. Yusa, as her arrogant self, thought it was her 'marvelous' plan in action. The reason was actually her slaves. They were all humans and by Koenma's order, none of them could get killed, either on accident or on purpose. Minor consequences would be delivered on Yusuke and Kuwubara. Kurama's punishment would be an inch higher on the punishment scale, but Hiei… Because of his stunt with the Conjuring Blade (Shadow Sword in the anime), his penalty was death.

Everything was going pretty smoothly, until a bulky man, presumably a boxer, managed to get close enough to slam his fist into Kurama's back. Yusuke saw this, yelled at Kuwubara to hurry the hell up, and turned to run towards the fallen fox spirit. However, in the time his head was turned, a vicious attack took place. Lying on the ground next Kurama, with blood and intestines hanging, was the large human that started the confrontation. Standing above Kurama with his katana gleaming fresh with blood was a wide eyed and slightly disturbed Hiei, who realized his mistake. However, the problem was – Hiei had moved on blind instinct to help the redhead. He hadn't known what happened until it was too late.

Sure enough, once an angry Kuwubara slashed open the female demon's stomach and a furious Yusuke spirit gunned her to high hell, the two ran over to fully investigate. Before a word could be uttered between them, however, Botan appeared behind Yusuke on her oar to stare sadly at Hiei. His red eyes, though, were too busy watching Kurama stand up. The fox spirit managed to dodge at the last moment so to avoid a fatal hit, thanks to Hiei's hit. Holding his newly bruised shoulder, Kurama stared hopelessly at Hiei with watery eyes. Before Kurama, or even the fast talking Yusuke, had a real chance to speak up, Hiei was whisked away by the grim reaper.

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><p>Hiei stood in front of toddler-version Koenma, who refused to look up from the paper in front of him. Rubies traveled quickly over the features in the room; a mahogany desk with a mountain of mess almost covering up the whole thing and the infamous television screen that revealed visual tales of the Ningenkai to the demi-god were really the only decorations in the small room. It was, in short, a really boring place. No wonder Koenma abandoned his post whenever possible.<p>

The fire demon knew what he did and didn't regret it. Kurama would be one of two he would die protecting. It didn't matter to him whether he really died or not, only that Kurama and Yukina were safe and happy. That was why he really did not care about anything other than them anymore and why his thought process turned out the way it did. His life was boring; he was on parole, stuck in Ningenkai, and his only real entertainment was Yukina and Kurama. Despite his hatred in the oaf, he knew Kuwubara could properly take care of his sister. Kurama, on the other hand, could take care of himself and even Hiei, in ways that disturbed the fire demon. For example, in the sticky situation he was in right now, Kurama had probably already thought up a flawless plan to get him out of it.

Koenma sighed, while saying, "Hiei, you know of the consequences of your actions."

"Yes."

At this simple answer, Koenma did look up, wondering why Hiei was giving in so easily. The last time the flying shadow was captured and held due to his actions, he fought harder and even escaped three times. There was no fight in him now, just sad red eyes. He asked, "Why do you give in so easily?"

"Does it really matter whether I do or not? We both know I breached my parolee and now punishment will be executed, quite literally." Quite skilled in the arts of being aloof, acting this way during this type of situation was natural for him, even though under that thick cloak were tightened fists with small amounts of blood tickling from his palms. Inside a corner of his mind, Hiei felt that he still had worth in his life, he just didn't know what exactly.

Koenma sighed again. He was very depressed. It wasn't like he was sad just because a great asset to the team was going to be lost, it was also that he had seen Hiei transform from an angry, low-leveled demon to the powerful master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and loyal teammate to Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwubara. To be truthful, Koenma became fond of Hiei enough to really not want to send him packing. However, it was his task as a ruler of spirit world to fulfill and carry out orders and contracts. So, with a final sigh and soft brown eyes, Koenma picked up his stamp to declare Hiei's place in the last cycle of hell.

Like the cliché in almost any heart-stopping incident, there had to be some sort of last minute interruption. So, as if on cue, Yusuke's foot slammed so hard into Koenma's office doors that the hinges couldn't take the pressure and ended up snapping in two, allowing gravity to do its part. The heavyset doors collided with Koenma's desk, shooting the mess of papers into the air. The part of desk that had survived the double attack was luckily the section in the middle, where Koenma was currently seated. The blue, red, and yellow ogres immediately abandoned ship, since their pay wasn't high enough to sacrifice their own lives for. The rest of the Reikai Tantei ran into the office, the two teenagers anxious and worried, whereas Kurama was deadly silent. Koenma could tell even before any conversation happened that the group would try to plead to get Hiei out of his current predicament. As much as Koenma wanted to as well, the contract had be fulfilled or else the Reikai squad would be ask to attack the group in front of the demi-god. In the end, Koenma could see no possibility of a peaceful ending to this one.

Within seconds of entering, Yusuke yelled, "What the hell, toddler bitch?! [1] Botan comes out of nowhere and snatched Hiei up like he was already dead! You had better start explaining shit!"

Kuwubara was about to put in his two cents when Hiei interrupted, "You fools. I broke the contract that allowed me to be on parole all this time."

Both the boys stared confused at the junior ruler and the fire demon, whereas Kurama's eyes dimmed. Despite the fact that he had hoped differently, he knew exactly what was going on, since he was the reason Hiei got on parole in the first place. The price for such an easy let go was Hiei's consent with his soul that he would not kill another human. It took Kurama and his bargaining skills a terribly long time to urge Koenma and Hiei into making these decisions.

Why he cared so much in order to put so much effort into it, he didn't know at the time. However, as time passed as Hiei and he helped Yusuke and Kuwubara in their missions, their companionship grew and trust developed. Such a concept was foreign to Hiei, so this task was greater than freeing the demon from Koenma. Kurama was sure that Hiei and he would be willing to give up their lives to protect each other. The current situation was proof of this assumption. Hiei had run blindly into saving him from a potential fatal blow at the risk of killing the human. So in summary, he had given his life to protect the fox. Guilt was definitely hanging in the back of Kurama's mind, but the current issue was more important. If he didn't do something quick, Hiei would be sentenced to reside in Hell, being tortured until his soul no longer existed.

Yusuke and Kuwubara, in taking turns, had been mentioning Hiei's good traits and putting in some 'kiss ass' comments to soften Koenma. Of course, it didn't work, as Koenma's hand was getting ever so closer to stamping Hiei's contract. Some of these comments were aimed at Hiei as well, telling him to fight back and prove that he's not the asshole he used to be. In reality, all Yusuke and Kuwubara were doing was adding guilt, sadness, and anger to an already tense environment. Kurama watched for Hiei's reactions to any and all of the 'conversation', but all that was expressed was annoyance. Did Hiei really not care at all that he was going to be slowly ripped apart for ten thousand years? It was time to speak up.

"Koenma."

Yusuke and Kuwubara shut up immediately, wanting for Kurama to remedy the situation. Hiei, though, looked up with grim eyes for a second, before glancing back at the floor again, forcing himself to appear bored. He wanted to get up and tell Kurama to mind his own business; the failure in this logic was Kurama was nothing but involved. He was on parole due to the redhead. Oddly enough, that wasn't the reason for why he wanted Kurama to shut up though. Far from it, actually.

"Kurama, you know I…"

Deep emeralds, swirling wildly due his many emotions, looked up as Kurama stated, "There is another bargain that can be made about this."

"I cannot do this, and you know why. My hands are tied; it was dangerous of me to even consider what I did back then. Now, the subject is over. Hiei has been…"

Kurama snatched Hiei's contract from under Koenma's nose, before the demi-god even noticed Kurama had moved. He eyed the paper, knowing the inscriptions by heart, as he was the one who drew up the passages. It was true, that Hiei was not allowed to kill a human during his parole, however Kurama had inserted a back-up plan so if it did happen, Hiei would be able to bid proper farewell over a twenty-four hour period. Mostly, Kurama put forth this so Hiei had the time to hopefully tell Yukina about who he really was, but now…

"I'm afraid you missed something in the fine print." Kurama placed the paper down in front of the demi-god one more time, so that Koenma could look. In mere seconds, he gasped and eyed Kurama dangerously. He saw the final passage at revealing Hiei's final and completely free time before he was executed. However, since it was in the original contract and Hiei had consented it, the time was to be given without thought. Koenma didn't like this, but he had to give in. Damn Kurama. So, with a monotone voice, Koenma started, "So, it appears that I had missed some important details concerning this matter."

Yusuke blurted out, "That's why Reikai is always so fucked up."

Kurama stared pointedly at the spirit detective, who didn't really care about pissing the junior lord of the underworld off. He was thoroughly willing and ready to strangle Koenma – fuck the consequences. Koenma stared as well, clearing his throat, "As I was saying, Hiei's contract was mis-understood. Before his execution, Hiei has been given a twenty-four hour leave to do whatsoever he pleases. If he is not back by the designated time, he will be hunted down by the Reikai squad."

He looked over at Hiei directly, rather than speaking to the whole group as he was before, "This is a serious matter, you know."

Hiei stood, making this the first real movement he had done in the duration of the gathering. He stared at Koenma, potentially ignoring the oaf and detective, and refusing to have eye contact with the fox spirit. He said in icy tone, "Of course, I know that. I don't have the limited capacity on brain power that the oaf has." With that said, Hiei disappeared down the hallway, with a pissed off Kuwubara and a laughing Yusuke following. For now, the normal interactions had resumed between the three. It was Kurama who was distanced, however, his mind continuously replaying his carefully thought out plan, detail by detail. There was no way that he would let Hiei go willingly, despite how discouraging the situation looked. He had been willing to wait decades, maybe even centuries for his chance, however he would be cut short. After all, he was going to be very selfish in what he would do next.

[1] Episode 57 - Dubbed

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><p><strong>Time:<strong> 10:22pm

**Date:** 2/1/2012


	2. Part Two

**Reminiscence of You**

By Faia Ookami

Rated: M

Summary: In order to save Kurama from a fatal hit, Hiei ran in blindly to kill a human, which breached his contract with Reikai. He was to be sent to the last cycle of hell, but first Kurama wanted to execute his very selfish plan.

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><p><strong>Part Two ~ Family<strong>

Kurama's plan evolved from one fateful night at the Kubikukuri Hotel on Hanging Neck Island. Maybe the actions of the fire demon and the fox were done on primitive instinct or maybe from a combined loneliness. Either way, Kurama's selfishness began to grow, whilst behind fake smiles. In a way, Kurama was fooling himself into believing false truths with his plan, but it didn't matter anymore as he only had twenty-four hours to perform the required details and steal the appropriate machine. Otherwise, all other proceedings had been prepared. Now all Kurama needed was…Hiei.

Once the four had left Reikai and regained proper use of their bodies after the extended time that their spirits had spent away from them, it was off to spend time with Hiei, who desperately just wanted to spend the time with his sister. Although, one real smile given to him by Kurama was enough to quiet this need for a few hours. Despite his better judgment, Hiei had grown closer to the oaf and Yusuke – in a brotherly way. Of course, this would never reach the ears of the said individuals, however Kurama was another story.

That disgraceful night he spent in Kurama's arms, naked and warm, constantly haunted his mind. His honor code disliked the idea, as the detail that stuck out the most was he was taking advantage of the fox at a time of weakness. At the time, maybe, but now, it turned into a cross between regret, sadness, and care. Kurama's looks and actions changed to him, every detail catching his eye, and more importantly his blind instinct changed. At the beginning of his life, when Yukina was his only real reason for life, his instinct to watch and protect her controlled his every movement. Now…his instinct acted so to protect Kurama as well. His mind was a mess of confusion, not being able to figure anything out. However, since he was to die in twenty-hours, it didn't really matter anymore. Sure that feeling of regret swelled in his chest again, but he ignored it. What difference would it make if he chose to be with Kurama after his visit with Yukina? None, really.

The whole afternoon was spent with Kuwubara and Yusuke bribing, pranking, and making fun of Hiei. The fire demon, of course, did not let this go lightly as he gave them what they deserved every time. Kurama also encouraged Hiei's actions, sometimes aiding. Yusuke ended up trapped in a torturous rose bush with teeth, whereas Hiei annoyed the hell out of Kuwubara during their spar by just running circles around him. When the sky darkened, Hiei felt it was time to say goodbye as the evening and maybe night would be spent with Yukina. After the spar with Kuwubara, Hiei leapt into the air only to land on a nearby large rock. He sighed aloud and stated, "I'm only going to say this once. Oaf, you may be an ignorant moron with no intelligence whatsoever…"

Kuwubara was able to reintroduce his fist with Hiei's face when Kurama's arm slid in front of him. He stopped instantly and stared at the fox questionably, before returning his sight to the short demon. He knew something different and perhaps bad was going on as Kurama's youki signaled a dangerous amount of decrease in energy; it was near the levels when Kurama released the Blood Plant at Karasu. The difference here, however, was that the lost energy was being transferred to another location. Kurama didn't even look exhausted. Kuwubara, having noticed this earlier but said nothing, couldn't figure out what was happening. He just hoped it all turned out ok.

Hiei continued once he had everyone's attention again, "…but sadly enough, I believe you will always take care of Yukina with a protective fist, so I give my blessing. And detective, you are definitely one in a million." Within seconds, there was only a short-lived afterimage in Hiei's place. Yusuke ran blindly after, yelling out Hiei's name in vain. He got frustrated, which equaled more yelling and running. Kuwubara quickly ran after, hoping to ask why Hiei said that and to basically help Yusuke's mentality become what it was five seconds ago. Kurama, on the other hand, stayed where he was. Part of him was depressed because Hiei left his side without a proper goodbye; however, having known Hiei like he did, he knew Yukina was beside the fire demon at that exact instant and later, the fox would be visited by him. After all, Hiei always told him goodbye if he was going to leave, no matter the circumstances.

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><p>Thanks to that annoying kitsune, Hiei was given a last minute intense choice. Just as he used to, the flying shadow stood in a tree above Yukina, who was laughing happily with the chirping birds above and in her soft hands. His Jagan, implanted first solely to find the floating island of his birth and lost tear gem, had been used constantly to keep an eye on his sister. Of course, the young ice maiden was in no real danger, but as her older (by one second) paranoid brother, Hiei made it his duty to protect her from just about anything. However, the inevitable had occurred. He would be forced to leave her side. Should he say anything about being her brother? Would it be the most regrettable decision that would haunt him into the afterlife? Would she love him like the thing he wanted most – a family…?<p>

The birds suddenly scattered, before Yukina waved goodbye. In doing so, she managed to see a dark shadow high in one of the pines around Genkai's temple. Smiling lightly as she stood, Yukina knew it was Hiei as his ki signature was unique. Despite being as black as the darkness flame, it felt like she had already memorized the feel of it long ago. It also felt like the thing she wanted most – family.

Hiei, having gotten caught being seen in his hiding spot, jumped down to the forest floor only to land in front of a laughing Yukina. Despite his outward crude mannerisms and actions, Yukina knew there was a side to Hiei that many never knew existed. The fiery-tempered demon was one of the sweetest and kind people that she knew, other than Kazuma. He refused to let any harm come to her, and acted like the brother she wished him to be frequently.

Hiei placed his hands into his hidden pockets, watching her identical to his red eyes as she laughed. Clearing his throat and staring intently at the grass resting between the twins, Hiei said, "How has your day been?" This was an incredibly awkward thing to say to anyone, as the flying shadow was not taught social etiquette until he became friends with Kurama. However, he was learning and tried his best now to finally communicate with Yukina.

Yukina's soft voice answered, "Oh, very well! I have been tending to the garden Kurama helped me create and playing with the creatures of the forest. However, it just got so much better!"

Questioning red eyes blinked at her, before he asked, "How so?"

She clasped her hands together, while pressing her index fingers against her chin and closed her eyes, "You're here to spend time with me, I believe."

Hiei smiled, causing her to smile back. Yukina was one of two who he could give this smile to despite the fact he didn't really know who the second was consciously. Maybe he could tell her… Rumors were that Shigure had not been seen in Makai since the Jagan was implanted and he was going to die anyways within a 20-hour period. However, he didn't want to reveal himself and then tell her he was being executed soon. So, his decision had been made. The rest of the day, until was Yukina was asleep, would he stay and hang out with her.

As time went on, Hiei learned how to plant a seed without it bursting into flame and how to fry fish without it blowing up Genkai's kitchen. In truth, he felt ridiculous doing these miniscule things, but with Yukina watching and enjoying his company, he could easily ignore that feeling. As the sun set completely, Yukina settled herself into her bed, while Hiei tucked her in. Despite the fact that Yukina had no real idea who Hiei was, she believed and trusted in him the most out of the crew. So, as Hiei stood to leave, Yukina muttered softly, "If my brother is alive, I would hope he be exactly like you, Hiei. Goodnight."

This line almost had Hiei turn around and blab it all to her. It was his will that held him back, wanting to leave her with a memory of being kind and loving. He really didn't know the meaning of the word, but as he watched Yukina fall asleep from a large distance away using his Jagan, he felt the feeling would be something like this.

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><p><strong>Time:<strong> 9:45pm

**Date:** February 6, 2012

A/N: Great thanks to those who reviewed. I feel much more confident in this story than I had been and even edited Part One accordingly. Thanks again!


	3. Part Three

**Reminiscence of You**

By Faia Ookami

Rated: M

Summary: In order to save Kurama from a fatal hit, Hiei ran in blindly to kill a human, which breached his contract with Reikai. He was to be sent to the last cycle of hell, but first Kurama wanted to execute his very selfish plan.

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><p><strong>Part Three ~ Last Call<strong>

"There. It's finally finished." Kurama said happily, placing a cork on the top of the oval flat jar he bought yesterday. Inside swirled a dark purple smoke with the occasional red spark poking against the glass. The concoction inside was the product of a year and a half worth of research about Makai and Ningenkai plant effects and side effects. As Kurama rubbed the jar slowly along its side, he pondered upon his next move. All of his arrangements depended upon Hiei and his sometimes-unpredictable actions. Of course, Kurama prepared for this, but there was always that chance that Hiei would surprise him. It wouldn't be the first time.

After placing the bottle in the corner to the left of the window Hiei usually came through, Kurama lifted an arm to allow his fingers to weave their way through his hair. Closing his eyes and sparking his ki just a little, he found what he was looking for. He pulled his hand out of gorgeous red locks to observe his findings; resting on his palm were two identical small lavender seeds with a line of blue spots wrapping around the center. These two little seeds were the main key ingredients of all. Once Kurama tucked these two seeds in the corners on either side of his bed, he sat down on his desk chair to recheck all he had done so far. However, within a few seconds, Kurama's mouth turned from the infamous smirk that yelled, 'I have you in my trap,' to a grieving one that whispered, 'I can't'. The sad truth was in order for Kurama's plan to come to fruition, he had to say goodbye to the one he stole the Darkness Mirror (Forlorn Hope) for all those years before. Could he really do this because of his selfishness? Would the real truth of who he was come forth without warning? He had come too far now to back down, it was finally time he got what he really wanted now for once – a family.

Hiei jumped and jumped on roof after roof, slowly heading towards the fox's home. Yukina was safe, thanks to that blundering idiot. His love for her – whatever that entailed – would take done anything that threatened her. So, really, that part of Hiei's heart calmed down, knowing no harm would ever come to her. Kurama, on the other hand, was a more complicated story. Since the dark tournament, the spirit fox had been acting rather strange. He was much more easily irritated and his ki leaked out of him like the broken branch of a maple tree. There was so much sap everywhere before it disappeared in the distance. Kurama was doing something that he probably shouldn't be. But why? What were his reasons for making himself that much more vulnerable in battle? He had to know before it all ended. Landing softly on the branch outside Kurama's room that he had slept on numerous occasions, Hiei suddenly self-doubted himself, making him fear what was to come. This is only Kurama, he told himself; what on Earth could go wrong? Thus, he softly knocked, most of him hoping Kurama wouldn't hear. However, the window opened seconds later, a smiling fox greeting him silently. With a nod of reply, Hiei jumped into the room, landing softly onto the plush carpet.

Hiei always gave Kurama a hard time about his place whenever he lounged in the fox's room somewhere. The walls and carpet were, despite common belief, were shades of the forest Kurama called home. The floor was hunter green, the walls fern, and the ceiling teal. The window behind him was a darker fern with teal vines sewn into the fabric. Kurama's bed sat in the middle of the wall adjacent to the window, large enough for three people and a comforter adorned with thorny vines and delicate red and white roses. The headboard stood, color of the oak with just as much thorn as the blanket. The bed was symbolism with its finest tuning. The final thing unique to this room, which Hiei did not tease about, were the multiple plants hanging and crawling everywhere. On every possible surface able to hold any weight was either a vase with some type of flower or a pot holding a vine plant. They were, of course, Kurama's defenses and should not be in any way insulted.

Hiei removed his boots, katana, and cloak to place on a chair in the corner. He had done this numerous times in the past, so it was habit now. He was about to return to the window to sit on its pane, when a mysterious transparent purple smoke exploded into his face. He covered his face as if to protect it from the already done harm, only to discover there was no pain. He wasn't bleeding. He wasn't bruised. Hiei was just simply weak in the knees and hotter than a scorching Makai summer. He may be a fire demon, but this was a different type of hot; it was the same feeling experienced in the Kubikukuri Hotel that one night. Completely forgetting the smoke, the flying shadow's mind converted to a primitive one, needing only one thing. Red eyes quickly turned to face a very smug kitsune. Kurama knew exactly what had happened and the large tent in Hiei's pants proved it.

While Hiei lost and regained his normal focus, trying to keep his sexual drive in check, Kurama took this precious moment to eye the delectable body in front of him. With strength pumping throughout every fiber of the fire demon's muscles under a black tight top and black pants, Hiei was the living symbol of a fiery death. Sure, he was a fire demon, but it was his rage and physique that lived up to that insignia. Since the Dragon of Darkness Flame was etched upon his right arm, there were bandages covering it. Literally a large spark of black hair with blue highlights erupted from his scalp with the most unique white starburst acting as bangs. A dangerous Jagan hid behind a white headband, acting as its ward. Finally there was Kurama's favorite part; black pants that was held up by four belts which hid the best asset to that which was Hiei. Despite his vertically challenged height, Hiei made up for it below. Kurama licked his soft lips in anticipation.

"Hiei," Kurama uttered aloud in a smooth voice, "Stop fighting it. You know you want it." There was a little guilt, but the fox spirit was still proud of his creation. Its purpose contained two results for the demons that breathed the smoke in. One that would cause instant arousal and the other, which took time to research, that would drug an A-class demon so his nerves acted like untied strings. It was supposed to be a last minute resort and that minute had unexpectedly come.

Less and less Hiei fought, the feelings of need overtaking his mind. His strong-arms soon fell and burning red eyes turned to memorize features and lust-filled emerald eyes of the relaxed creature on the king bed. Hiei's mind was spinning, thoughts broken and emotions of color swirling. Kurama's soft pale skin, sensual red as the rose hair, and beckoning lips were all he had to see before burning his clothing, belts included, until his body gleamed from a beginning sweat; he was, after all, fighting the need to continuously slam Kurama into his thorny headboard using only one protruding part of his body. He pounced, quite literally, slamming Kurama down in the comfy sheets. While the fox spirit allowed this, enjoying the dominance by the smaller demon, Hiei couldn't believe his own body was acting this way. Sure, his actions at the hotel were rough, but did not even compare to the aggression he was displaying now. Kurama moaned lightly as Hiei moved over his pelvis, arising a new player to the game. That was the breaking point. His thoughts and actions collided into one another, while Kurama simply enjoyed the ride.

Once the fox's clothing had been ripped apart and thrown, his skin, especially in the pelvis and neck regions, was soon covered in red and purple marks, with the occasional bleeding bite mark. For a small amount of time, Kurama let himself be used and thrown, the masochist part of him slowly being sated. It was after his first orgasm of the night, by work of a very talented fire demon's tongue, that a foggy fox decided if he didn't activate those two seeds in the corners, all would be lost. Quickly did he turn the tables on Hiei, who still didn't give a damn about anything but the fiery flesh of the other. He straddled his hips and rubbed his tight bottom on a very anxious part of Hiei that demanded attention.

After Kurama flipped the fire demon so that his crotch met with Hiei's nicely curved rear, the fox leaned upward to lightly caress a rather convenient vine filled with light purple buds. The one nearest to his hand, thanks to a little ki, opened and streamed out a cloudy blue gel. He silently thanked it, before leaning back down to slowly insert a lubed finger into Hiei's back door. Surprised etched itself quickly against Kurama's face. The demon below him…had done this before; he was looser than a virgin male, from which memory served from back in his Yoko days. At the hotel, Hiei was the one on top, taking Kurama's human virginity with enjoyment. However, now…there were new questions that would most likely never get answered. Ignoring this and returning to the situation at hand, Kurama dove in, causing a long moan to flow from Hiei's mouth.

Breathing to calm himself and stay still, the fox allowed his energy to seek out and activate his 'trap'. Quickly did two long vines with yellow buds sprang forth from their seeds to individually latch onto Hiei's reproductive outside organs. As they began to feed on anything liquid, Kurama thrust in time to meet with these two plants. Hiei, of course, was oblivious to any and all outside influences. He was so far in ecstasy that a high level demon could have attacked and he would not have cared less. His hands grasped tightly at the dark headboard and his knees driven in several pillows. Just a little more…

Breathing harshly and sweating up a storm, Kurama leaned forward to rub lightly at Hiei's nipples. This managed to get a little of the fire demon's attention, but it was enough for him to hear the fox spirit say, "Give me what I want, Hiei."

In the state the demon was at, he was only glad to oblige. Thanks to a kenkai that Kurama erected seconds after Hiei jumped into his room, no one other than Kurama heard Hiei's scream of pleasure. His voice betrayed him in that the scream was non-other than Kurama's own name. The buds of the sucking flower received what they wanted and slowly backed off. Where Kurama had placed them earlier was where they settled into a ball, softly glowing with delight. It was done. Over the course of the night, the two demons switched positions repeatedly, while they exchanged moans, tastes, and pent up frustration. It was in the middle of the night that the drug had worn off, but Hiei still stayed strong. That was one thing Kurama feared; Hiei would gather his senses and run in his anger at his trust being betrayed. Instead the opposite happened.

At daybreak, they collapsed in exhaustion, each demon's body singing and mind foggy with pleasure. By this time, they had fallen on the floor, but were perfectly happy sleeping there in each other's arms. It was only an hour later that the grim reaper showed up at Kurama's window, beckoning attention. Sure Botan was surprised to find the place a mess, but it didn't even match her reaction at seeing the two demons together. She was worried, but also relieved. She may have hated Hiei from being an asshole in the beginning, but overall he proved to have some caliber in fighting and defending the group. So, really, Botan was happy Hiei had someone in the end who truly knew him. Too bad she didn't know about Kurama exploits during the night. Having a thought of leaving and coming back when they were awake, Botan almost did until her mind told her of the duty she was responsible with. Sighing, she turned and said, "Morning, boys!"

Hiei was the first to rouse, glancing around him in a daze. His irritated eyes landed on Botan's pink kimono and bright blue hair, mind at first not knowing who she was. Once his body woke up more, he realized it was time. He sighed himself, which woke Kurama up. The fox sat up fast, doing the same as Hiei, glaring at who disturbed them. His emerald eyes landed on Botan and his insides crashed. It couldn't be time. Only Botan really cared about the two demon's state of dress, whereas the Hiei and Kurama were unnerved that she was here.

Hiei, who before didn't care, now wished he could stay with Kurama. He didn't want to leave. Kurama similarly didn't want the broken contract carried out. Originally, he thought he would be fulfilled in accomplishing what he did, but instead…he was anguished. Silence stretched on, as Kurama became moody, Botan nervous, and Hiei pissed off. As time wore on, the fire demon was heavily tempted to pick up his katana and slice away at Botan's figure. It wouldn't do anything other than make him feel better though. It was only when Koenma's voice rang throughout the room that anyone truly moved. "Hiei, you better get your ass up here!"

After getting dressed and sending a longing look at Kurama, Hiei was once more whisked away. Despite his better judgment and still naked as the day he was reborn, the fox backed away from the window and fell onto the floor, softly sobbing. He knew he couldn't wiggle Hiei out of this mess this time, and had to accept the truth. Hiei was never going to come back.

* * *

><p><strong>Time:<strong> 3:54pm

**Date:** February 12, 2012

A/N: Again, thanks all those who reviewed! I appreciate it a great deal. I hope the continuation meets expectations and maybe even surprises.


	4. Part Four

**Reminiscence of You**

By FaiaOokami

Rated: M

Summary: In order to save Kurama from a fatal hit, Hiei ran in blindly to kill a human, which breached his contract with Reikai. He was to be sent to the last cycle of hell, but first Kurama wanted to execute his very selfish plan.

* * *

><p><strong>Part Four ~ Mother<strong>

This was the part of the plan that Kurama dreaded the most – saying goodbye. The only real mother he knew was a false one. She never knew what he was truly was, and really Kurama didn't want her to know. But yet…he felt like it was only correct that she know that this whole time she had raised an infamous demon. But could the fox spirit really do that? Abandon her so he could return to his beloved forests? Ignore her pleas to stay home as the Yoko inside him insisted that this woman was just another human? Could he go through it? All this ran amok in Kurama's mind - doubt, guilt, and regret settling in for the night.

Since Hiei was taken from his side, Kurama remained on the carpet, naked and cold. He didn't care as the fire in his life was just taken away. Kurama understood now that he had never before in this human body experienced a real want to do anything, until a flying shadow found him. Bloody and icy, Kurama nursed the wounded Hiei to full health. Kurama remembered that before they left together to find the women that meant a great deal to them, Hiei's skin had felt like the pleasant warmth from sitting in front of a fire. In fact, his ki was exactly the same, and over time, Kurama memorized that unique feature. Up until that night at the hotel, that same ki relaxed the fox's nerves in a fight or just out in the open. Afterward, it became an intense fire, waiting impatiently for something to burn.

Kurama smiled softly as he thought this. Hiei had burned something, all right. He smoldered the fox with passion the previous night, leaving an almost nonexistent ash pile behind. It hurt the fox spirit horribly, and it didn't help that Hiei's cloak and katana were left behind to remind him of the fresh wound.

"Shuichi! Time for school!" A female voice rang throughout the Hatanaka household, signaling a new day for the young boy sleeping in the adjacent room.

This voice drove so many emotions and fears out of Kurama at once. His face became blank, his fists balled until blood was drawn, and his breathing became highly erratic. This wasn't him and he knew it. He had to disappear, so to finally understand that this fake life he was living wasn't real. With a small heave and a grunt, Kurama stood up. A sharp pain reintroduced itself to Kurama's back and behind. This was what happened when the sex got rough without proper preparations. Of course, Hiei didn't know better as he was severely buzzed on lust and didn't have the time to care about what the word 'patience' meant.

With a small sigh, Kurama carefully dressed himself, avoiding most of the bruises and purple/red splotches everywhere. The ones on his neck were difficult to hide, so he opted for a women's light scarf. It was his mother…human mother's, who gave it to him to cover up a large cut on his leg some time ago. It was the only wrapping that was available at the time, so readily Shiori gave it up. The cut was minor, having been made while not watching where he walked on his way home from Meiou Private High School. A slight pinch of emotional pain hit Kurama when he remembered this, but recovered and started his descent into the main living room on the first floor.

He must do it. He had to do it. He had to say goodbye.

Upon entering the main living room, Kurama eyed his surroundings. It was a basic room with two light teal couches, a small television, and a glass table in the center. The table held a potted Peony; however this particular flower was from the demon world. Similar to its human world brother, the white petals were squeezed together in the center with a long stem attached. The only difference was this breed lived far longer and had sky blue thorns surrounding the base of the flower and along its stem. Kurama long before said that it was a new type of rose. The walls were painted light green, with the carpet and drapes following suit. The room was also well lit, as there were two bay windows on either side of the front door. It was a comfortable environment, which was just what he needed for a confession.

Kurama breathed in and called for his human mother to come into the living room. Shiori answered back, "I'll be right there. Do you want some muffins? I just made some."

The fox spirit replied with a yes, before settled himself on one of the couches. He was glad that he didn't easily lose his nerve at times, but now it was like he couldn't grasp it. Emotions. They were weak and controlling at times. Out of all the things he's done in his thousand years of living, this could very well be the most difficult. However, it needed to be done.

With a bright smile, Shiori walked in the kitchen with a full tray of muffins, completely unaware of what her son had planned. Her morning was going smoothly; her stepson actually followed directions for once and left for school without any major incidents. Shuichi was just a boy, so anything could be expected at this age. However, he was nothing compared to the young red-haired man in front of her. Much of her own Shuichi's childhood was spent apart from her, coming close only for physical needs – bathing, eating, sleeping, and shopping. It was strange, seeing a child act like this. At first, she blamed herself for anything that could be blamed on someone, but when Shuichi turned ten, it all changed. She protected him from falling onto broken dishes in the middle of the kitchen. Her arms were bleeding profoundly, but this was her last concern. Was her baby all right?

Kurama had frozen after Shiori tossed him aside. He knew what happened, but his mental state didn't understand. Why did she do that? He could have easily flipped out of harm's way without breaking a sweat and still make it look like a lucky dodge. Yet, she still saved him from potential scars and maybe an ambulance visit. After this incident, Kurama looked upon her differently. She sacrificed her arms for him, and this concept intrigued the ageless fox-spirit. Thus, as time passed on, Kurama became attached to this human woman. He had never known a mother's love as he was abandoned within weeks of birth many centuries ago, but now…he was willing to give it a try. It was also this incident that made taking this woman out of his life that much harder…but he had to be strong.

"Good morning, mother. My, those muffins smell delicious." Kurama gave a polite smile, as he moved to rub one of the Peony's soft petals. The flower sang in joy as its beloved master petted it.

Shiori placed two muffins on individual plates, sliding one in front of her son, before sitting down next to him. "Thank you, Shuichi. They are your favorite…banana-nut." Right she was about to take a small bite, her left eye caught an uneasy shift from the young man next to her. Anytime Shuichi did that, he was bound to have a serious talk with her. Sometimes, being a mother had its advantages; it took quite a bit to knock her off guard. She waited patiently for him to begin speaking by slowly eating her muffin.

Sure enough, Kurama did begin the conversation with a calm voice, "Mother, I was hoping I could discuss some important matters with you."

Shiori knew it. She also knew that whatever he was about to say wasn't going to the best of news. Sometimes mother's intuition was just a bother to her.

Kurama was silent for a few minutes, before he reached over to grasp his human mother's hand. Gathering his words to be most understood and gentle, Kurama began, "Mother, I love you; however recent events have caused me to be in a tiring situation. I must leave your side…for an extended amount of time. I don't know when I'll be back."

Shiori tilted her head in confusion, as though Kurama spoke in a completely different language, "What do you mean, dear? Did you receive a scholarship of some kind for a university in America?"

The voice she spoke in destroyed part of Kurama's resolve, the portion he had worked on intensely to be immune to emotion over the last few weeks. It failed, and Kurama nearly gave up on his plan. Revealing who he truly was and leaving his human mother was much more difficult than he originally imagined. Nevertheless, the rest of his willpower had to make up for the missing part.

"I'm afraid not. It involves who I really am and explains my behavior from when I was younger."

Shiori watched Kurama, and gave him the benefit of the doubt, "Oh? Then what are you?"

Kurama was proud of Shiori as she understood how difficult this was for him and did her best to insure a good response. "I am 1,245 human years old. They call me Yoko Kurama." Finally, he said it.

"Yoko Kurama? Honey, did you hit your head or injure yourself around Yusuke. I know he can be quite violent."

"No, no. I'm sure you've heard Yusuke say that name at least once."

"Well, yes, but I always thought it was just a nickname."

"It's not. I think it would easier for you to see my real form as it's rather clear you don't believe anything I'm saying right now."

"Uh, I will admit…"

Before she could answer with a full sentence, her son's body began softly glowing. Torso and limbs lengthened, eyes narrowed, and hair faded. Soon, the person next to her remained a solid two feet longer. Eyes were now a frightening gold and hair glimmered silver and white. The pink school clothing her son had been wearing before disappeared, leaving a simple white tank-top and baggy pants. If those were the only differences, it would be easier for her to take it all in; however such was not the case. Fluffy large fox ears jetted out from his head and resting on his thigh was a similar fluffy fox tail.

Panicking, Shiori quickly scooted backward, hands close to her face. Her eyes remained large and close to watering. Overwhelming fear caused her chest to freeze, allowing no oxygen to flow into her lungs. Soon, it overwhelmed her, forcing the inevitable passing out. Before she crashed onto the hardwood floor, Kurama caught her effortlessly. Was it a mistake to let her see his foxy self? Should he have waited with all the pieces coming together slowly?

Slowly, so not to hurt her, Kurama laid her down when he previously sat. Careful not to scratch her face, the spirit fox combed black hair, a worried frown upon his face. In fact, Kurama did plan to show her his true form in time. However, as the man that so intrigued him, Hiei threw quite a wrench into his plot. It forced him to show her, so maybe she would hate him and make the leaving that much easier, but such was not the idea. He wanted the woman to love him as he was, not as some ignorant and mysterious human teenager.

However, time demanded that he left for the Makai soon. Unfortunately, the cargo given so eagerly by Hiei the night before would expire soon, forcing little time to goof around. After placing a gentle kiss on his mother's forehead, a rub on the scars on both of her arms, and a brushing of a tear away from his eyes, Kurama ran.

Kurama never did like running from a problem, but his selfishness did not care. It was time he finally got what he wanted. It was time that he settled down. It was time he had a true family that was not born on lies.

* * *

><p><strong>Time:<strong> 3:33pm

**Date:** 2/5/2013


	5. Part Five

**Reminiscence of You**

By FaiaOokami

Rated: M

Summary: In order to save Kurama from a fatal hit, Hiei ran in blindly to kill a human, which breached his contract with Reikai. He was to be sent to the last cycle of hell, but first Kurama wanted to execute his very selfish plan.

* * *

><p><strong>Part Five ~ Creation<strong>

As much as Kurama didn't want to leave behind anyone in the Ningenkai, such an idea was impossible. Yusuke. Kuwubara. Yukina. Shiori. He loved them all in different ways, but despite his plan and all the preparations, he almost turned back to assure his human mother what happened in the living room the day previous was only a dream, that he would work in his step-father's company, and that every Sunday would be their day together. He knew what Yusuke was doing now, yelling and screaming at the demi-god responsible for Hiei's sentence. Kuwubara was with Yukina, reassuring her that Hiei was only grounded in a Reikai jail for a while. Yukina would know better, but so to soothe her orange-haired man, she would nod and smile. As a twin himself, Kurama knew about the sixth sense of a twin. Even if the feeling was indescribable, the person would always know if the other was safe. He could only imagine the pain Yukina was feeling.

There was that doubt again. That nagging thought in the back of his mind telling him that all of this was wrong. How he could have mourned the death of Hiei with the others and maintain all that he built in the human world. How he could have moved on, instead of living in the dark fog of depression. How he could have finally said good-bye to the demon that awoke his Yoko instincts again. However, it was too late now.

After a tiring week of trekking across the demon Makai, Kurama continued his journey to his oldest den. Nestled between the Ash Mire to the north and the Sandstone Plains to the south, the den lay underneath part of the Flame Chasm, appropriately named due to the two-story high fires that would randomly combust in the two acre region. Unknownst to the local demons, the middle of the Chasm held no vents, only precious jewels named Erons underground. As a young Yoko a century ago, Kurama couldn't resist such a plentiful treasure untouched by demons. After all the jewels were mined, the open space revealed became his main home. The fire vents prevented any stupid demons from coming near and all his traps set on the perimeter warned the higher-levels. The perfect den for a vacation with no fighting, and now, for his strategy.

Despite how much he treasured the north most den, it was rather tedious reaching the opening. First, he had to convince his traps that daddy was back, before dodging all the vents. Unfortunately, the vents, very similar to the ghast trees in the Fool's Forest, enjoyed traveling to new locations. One wrong step, or rather guess, and nothing would be left to even remind those who knew him who he was. Even though the lapious utta plant was in his hair (the butterfly plant Kurama used to stop falling when Hiei, Kuwubara, and himself warped to the Makai for the first time), the fires rose too high for any type of gliding to happen. Kurama reached his hand to his head, summoning a small bit of ki and pulling out a rough, dark brown seed. At first glance it appeared to be just a simple rock of dirt; that is until it began to grow. The vine wrapped itself around Kurama's torso tightly, before continuing to his legs. Eventually, the vines molded together, creating a dark brown shield all over the spirit fox.

Taking a deep breath, Kurama leapt, barely avoiding the first blast of fire. Several bits of heated dirt landed on his back, causing part of it to melt. Feeling the pain of his plant run through his body, Kurama kept up his running. He held his cargo bag close, his arms taking any damage aimed its way. Despite out of shape he was in, Kurama pushed himself, jumping, sliding, and falling to avoid any lava coming his way. It wasn't until the safety mark that he let his fatigue hit, but even that was a mistake. A vent burst open within a few feet in front of him, the force knocking his pack and him onto the ground. Luckily, Kurama twisted at the last second, landing on his feet. Golden eyes searched wildly for a little brown pack, its contents worth more than his life. The fiery breeze pushed past him, the pressure in the air building with all the Flame Chasm's rage, but he wasn't supposed to feel that air. Quick hands felt his chest. Where was the plant? When the ground started to roar and shake once more, this time on his left, Kurama jumped with blind instinct to the side. Another blast he barely avoided with only a few burns. Kurama felt something under his arm. There was both the pack and the shield plant which was holding a vent down. Getting the idea, the fox snatched the pack and ran towards the safe mark just in time for the vent to erupt, destroying the plant. The shock waves forced Kurama to fall again, this time with the pack in his arms. Holding his chest, he placed his free hand over his heart, calming it from all the adrenaline and pain. His plant…every time one died, his chest felt like it ripped open and bleed out. He hated the feeling.

Sighing, he stood and walked until he reached a small opening hidden under boulders of all shapes and weight. Urging the hidden tree beneath to continue its service as a 'door' holder, the boulders moved to reveal a vine covered hole. Once inside, the sparkling off the cave made him smile. His treasure trove, full of precious stones and great memories, brought relaxation. Gently placing the pack onto a side stone table, Kurama continued to a large tree with golden trees and blue flowers in the corner. He held out his hand to a lower branch, stroking it with ki. The tree's energy awoke, allowing an oily substance to leak from the roots above ground. After thanking his ointment tree with another gentle rub of ki, Kurama sat down and rubbed the oil into his burns. Despite how dangerous it was to approach and leave the Chasm, the protection it provided was worth it. Once finished, Kurama laid down on his furry bed, covered in dust and crumbs of rock. He didn't care. Traveling for seven days across the Makai and fighting every demon that recognized him tired him out. A small rest, however, was all that he could afford right now.

* * *

><p>Yusuke, fiery as ever, stormed into Koenma's office "Hey, Toddler Bitch!"<p>

Koenma, somewhere within the ceiling high documents needing his stamp, threw a finished stack at a neighboring red ogre, clearly irritated before Yusuke's big mouth entered the large room. Of course, the papers everywhere indicted that the demi-god was not getting much work done, but it was all well and good that Yusuke not know why. Surprisingly, Koenma cared a little about Hiei. His scowling and short answers made him the best of the group. The demon never caused much trouble after the Forbidden Treasures incident. Sure, he scared the crap out of Koenma when he jumped to the B class, but Hiei never abused his newborn powers. Maybe he felt like he didn't have any reason to be defensive, maybe he felt like he belonged with the Reikai Tantei, or maybe it was simply Kurama's encouraging words. Those two were always seen attached by the hip, even if Hiei did not admit it. Koenma could only imagine how Kurama was feeling right now.

Charging himself up in order to deal with his big mouthed detective, Koenma answered, "What do you want?"

Yusuke wrestled, fell, and charged through what seemed like endless documents until he literally bumped into Koenma's desk. He groaned, holding his head, as he stood back up. If Koenma felt a little better, he would have laughed at Yusuke's bulging temple. Such was not the current case though.

"I want you to give Hiei back now!"

Koenma's eyebrow rose. Was his detective really that stupid…or was it stubborn? He could not believe Yusuke was still going on about Hiei's unfortunate situation the week previous. The demi-god had a damn good reason to still be guilty about it. After all, he was the one who sentenced Hiei to hell and back without anything left at the end. "Look, Yusuke, it's done. Hiei made that choice on his own, whether it was blind instinct or not."

"It doesn't apply here! Kurama was down and Hiei, as his teammate, went to save him. How many times do I have to tell you that?!"

"As many times as you need to get it out of your system. Hiei's gone. Accept it already."

"How can you say that? This team isn't complete without both of them."

Koenma looked up in confusion, "Both of them?"

Yusuke's head dropped, "Kurama's gone. I wanted to get Hiei back, so we could find him."

Immediately, the demigod jumped onto his desk, causing papers to fly everywhere, "What are you talking about?! If Kurama was truly gone, I would have found out, you dumbass!"

Yusuke remained still, brown eyes serious, "Look, I don't know either. His mom just came up to me four days ago and asked where he was. Since I don't hang with him normally, I said I didn't know. It was yesterday that his mom asked me to come over. His room was empty, no furniture, no anything! The only thing he left behind was a letter saying he'd miss us all and it was time he went home."

Home? For spirit foxes, that wasn't always the Makai. Sometimes, there were some that remained in the Ningenkai, preying and playing tricks on the weak willed humans. Other times, they hung out in the Reikai, enjoying playing with the ogres' heads by pretending to be ghosts of their long lost relatives. The sad part was all of the ogres were immortal, but they still believed in the spirit foxes' lies. Luckily, all the spiritual energy in Reikai zapped part of the foxes' energy, making them extremely weak. Kurama could be anywhere, and if he chose to hide, no one could find him. If Hiei was still around, maybe they would have had a fighting chance to find him. Such was out of the question though. Stupid contracts and the binding pact of a soul caused such immobility. Nothing could bring that demon back now.

"I'm sorry, Yusuke, but I can only allow you to look for him in Ningenkai. Until there is a dangerous S-class demon wreaking enough havoc in Makai that requires a spirit detective, the portal is closed off to everyone. My father's orders."

Seeing Yusuke so docile had Koenma praying he could turn back time. Stupidly enough, the intelligence department had yet to come up with a device that did just that and since that department didn't know shit in the first place, hoping for such a device was completely useless.

* * *

><p>It wasn't the wind that chilled our favorite orange-haired man as he sat on the porch outside the main house in Genkai's temple. It also wasn't the wolf's howl or the owl's hoot that caused goose bumps to rise on his arms. It wasn't even the shine of the multiple tear gems at his feet that caused small brown eyes to water.<p>

It was…

"Kazuma? Are you alright?"

The soft voice of his love woke Kuwubara from his saddened trance, "Oh, I'm fine, Yukina. Just thinking is all."

Instantly, Hiei's voice answered, 'Doesn't thinking require a brain?' The spirit sword wielder jumped towards the middle of the center yard, sword at the ready. He glared at every possible doorway and crevice, prepared to kill a certain short demon. Soon, the truth once more slapped into Kuwubara's face, causing him to fall backward and into the small pond. The chill of the water soaked his clothes through, forcing goose bumps to once more travel up his arms. As Kuwubara's teeth clicked together, Yukina helped her new boyfriend to stand.

With concerned eyes, Yukina asked, "Please tell me. There's something going on, isn't there?"

The moment Kuwubara dreaded the most. He really didn't want to be the one who told Yukina that her brother's soul was being torn apart and Kurama was gone. Why? Sighing, he replied, "Well, uh…"

"Please. I want to know. I don't like seeing you in pain."

His love for those eyes that sparkled and shined in the light urged him to say it, but would it be wise? Kuwubara was much smarter than everyone around him gave him credit for. Despite not being told about who Yukina's brother was, he knew just by following the short-stuff's eyes. At first, he thought Hiei wanted Yukina like he did, but over time Hiei only protected her, with no extended sentences being said. Just to confirm his suspicions, Kuwubara asked Kurama what was going on, and sure enough, Hiei was his love's brother. At the moment, Kuwubara felt relieved to know Yukina was free to be wooed, before freaking out that her big brother would kill him in cold blood. It was only that day, the day that Hiei left for good that Kuwubara felt sadness. He never imagined life without the shrimp, and Yukina would only cry more tear gems knowing this.

How could one short, anti-social demon cause so much emotion to build up and explode? By what Yusuke told him earlier that day, everyone's lives were either ruined or cock-eyed. Koenma was much angrier than usual, Kurama disappeared, Kurama's mother shed endless tears every day, and Yusuke gave up being the spirit detective. 'If Reikai can't keep shit together, why should I', or so Yusuke said. Couldn't thing just go back to the way they used to be?

"Kazuma?"

"Oh, yea. Sorry, I'm just messed up."

"How?"

Such an angel Yukina was. So much patience, so much care. "Yukina, I'm sorry."

"For what? You've done nothing wrong."

"No, it's not that. I'm sorry that someone I know you care about is gone."

A sad smile. "Kazuma, I've known about that for a while now. You tend to sleep-talk when you're upset."

Kuwubara's face tightened in a way that would have been amusing to the ice apparition if not for the current situation. Sleep-talking? Oh, kami. He wondered what else she knew.

"It's alright. Hiei came to stay with me that day, and even then I knew. He loved me, so he didn't tell me who he was, and that was what proved my guesses. Hiei has been following me my whole life. At first, I hid from him. , scared of what the elders told me about the demons below. It wasn't until he dropped his Hiroseki stone that I started to get curious."

"Don't they all look alike though?"

"Yes and no. Appearance-wise, yes. They are all a sparkly blue. The difference is in the energy given by the mother." Yukina took her stone from around her neck and placed it in Kuwubara's hand, before covering it with her own, "Do you feel that?"

In fact, he did. Soothing and warm, the stone glowed intensely, filling even the littlest crack between their enclosed fingers with light. The best way to describe it, even though it was rather cliché, was, "Is this love?"

"Mhm, my mother's love for her twins. I felt this same energy from Hiei's stone."

As she replaced the stone around her neck, Kuwubara could tell there was some deep sadness settling in her chest, so much that a golden tear gem fell from her eye. It rolled away from them, bouncing when it reached the stairs, and spinning when it hit the main walkway. Such a beautiful thing spawned from such sadness. Where was the justice in that?

"I'm…well…"

"I'll miss him, too."

After changing into some sleep clothes, both Kuwubara and Yukina snuggled together in front of the small fireplace, a soothing flame's light streaming alongside all the wooden walls. The night's icy wind challenged the warmth, but lost nevertheless. The environment sprouted comfort and safety, making the wind weak. Despite this, the newly formed couple held identical heavy weights on their hearts.

Two great teammates had disappeared from Kuwubara's life and one caring older brother had died in Yukina's, but at least they had each other to properly mourn the two.

One mindful and deadly with poisons and thorns alike. The other protective and wild as the black dragon's flame.

* * *

><p>"Oh, sweetheart, wake up for me," Kurama uttered, his voice echoing throughout the entire cavern.<p>

In front of him sat a rusty old table covered in vines and flowers. The center of this beauty was a large red flower bud, with edges sharp and green and roots black as the cave around him. A golden light pulsed within the bud, growing brighter as its master spoke. Smiling, Kurama pulled out his precious gift for the large flower. The two lavender seeds with the circling blue spots, during the last week, had weaved themselves into a cocoon, with an identical pulsing light. Carefully holding out the soft silky cocoon in front of the red bud, he watched as it opened, the light reaching out to all corners of the cave. Kurama's chest swelled with a true happiness hidden for many a year. With a deep breath, Kurama placed the cocoon on the glowing stigma in the center. Within an instant, the edges of the bud grew teeth and the flower slammed itself around the cocoon, tearing the silk so much that the light inside faded completely. The red bud settled down once its jaw was fully shut; its light disappeared, leaving the cave dark.

A small amount of doubt settled itself within Kurama's mind. Did he fail in his plan? Did he miss some important detail? The plant wasn't supposed to eat up the cocoon in such a vicious way. Ever since the day at the Kubikukuri Hotel, Kurama started his experimentation on the mutated relative of _Dionaea muscipul _(the Venus flytrap). Upon his study, this plant ate in the same way as its cousin did, by consuming the prey with trigger spines. Unlike the Venus flytrap, however, this species reproduced not with flowers, but with special red buds that ate potential partners. Appropriately named the Black Widow Flytrap, it used whatever DNA it found to evolve into a stronger species. In short, this plant was responsible for creating the different lower level scum demons running around Makai. Kurama stood against the wall, pondering over every detail he learned of the species. What went wrong?

Maybe it was what he did millennia ago. He had a bad night after taking care of his twin's little girl. She had him wondering what it would be like to be a father figure. His twin encouraged him to find a potential partner as it would keep the young rebel Yoko out of trouble. In truth, that was why Kurama started sleeping with all those demons, which helped make his name a popular and deadly call card. However, he grew selfish when one lover told him about a son, but denied him of all parental rights. So, of course, he killed her, and raised the child to three summers. A fight broke out that winter, which ended in the boy's death. In his sorrow, he started his first experiment on the Black Widow flytrap, desperately attempting to create a clone of himself. However, as years passed, the bud sat on his table, pulsing with light.

Did the mutated plant only accept one donation of sperm and develop over the years or did it die with the wrong amount? So many questions. So little answers. What did he do wrong?! In frustration, Kurama slid to the cold floor of the cave, pulling at his silver locks. All this nonsense, the pain, these feelings for no response. What a fool he was.

As he sat there, head between his knees and clutched fists, the Black Widow started to convulse, uttering high pitched soppy noises. Immediately, Kurama was on his feet and observing every movement. The bud jumped several times, as though something was trying to get out of it. Or was it someone? The light came back, the glare burning the spirit fox's golden irises. What the hell was going on? Within a second after the light returned, the bud exploded; green, thick juices attached to every surface and roots fell to the floor. After Kurama 'ekked' at his white clothing being completely ruined, he looked over at the table, which was now in three pieces on the floor. Sitting on the corner of the most upright one was a pink and blue seed the size of a walnut. The demon energy inside the shell emitted strong waves of color. Kneeling, Kurama picked up the piece with gentle hands. He…did it. His happiness surged again, and brought new revived strength to his legs.

His plan was half-finished. However, now came the hardest step and only one chance to get it right. Carefully, as though holding a crystal glass ornament, Kurama walked towards another room, this one on the other side of his home. To him, this was the longest walk of his life, and that was saying something. He refused to do any harm to the seed, not after all this work. After what seemed like days, Kurama pushed a light blue curtain to the side, revealing a tall room with tons of mocking-bats mutants lining the walls and ceiling. Unlike the cave he was in previously, this one held a turquoise glow, emitting from the large tank on the farthest corner. All kinds of wires and pipes ran from its sides into a control panel in the center of the room. Kurama walked to it, gently placing the seed into his right hand. With the other, he pressed the 'fill' button. Water from the Ash Mire's hot spring flowed through the top pipe and into the tank. The instant the water hit the bottom, steam arose, coating the entire room with clouds. So far, so good. Next, he pushed other buttons in sequence, premeasuring the tank humidity, temperature, and pressure. From his research on the human female's body during pregnancy, all measurements given by the machine indicated the best environment. He couldn't help, but silently thank Mukuro for letting him 'steal' this giant tool.

After grabbing a pair of tongs from a side table, the spirit fox approached the tall tank. With tongs resting on his forearm, his left hand pressed lightly on the gel covering the outside. It felt warm to the touch, sending calm waves running through his arm and down his back. He lowered his arm to grab the tongs once more to gently grasp the seed. He transferred it to the tank, using a bit of pressure to shove it inside the warm environment. The gel helped to push it backward, while the water surrounded it. Soon, the seed was just a light pink dot, swimming in the center of the container. Now, all he could do was wait.

And boy, did he hate waiting for important things. Although, he wondered if waiting for family was truly worth it.

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><p><strong>Time:<strong> 7:41pm

**Date:** 3/5/13

A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews and for still reading this. I hope it has met expectations, and if not, let me know! Any review helps me to improve.


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